Samuelsson was known as a low hitter, most of which were legal hip-checks. Players didn't like it, but it was legal. The reason he wasn't the dirtiest ever, is he was always attacking the puck carrier. He was using the body in the course of the play. Guys like Claude "the fraud" took their shots away from the play, and it was usually with the stick and not the body. Claude wore a shield too.
Then you have the guys like Messier who throw elbows and use the stick behind the play, away from the play and instead of the play. For Messier the stick work was okay because commentators and anylists alike would excuse it as "that's just the way he plays." IMO that's more punk than what Ulfie did.
He didn't have goons protecting him either. He'd get slashed, speared punched etc. for the way he played, that was his punishment instead of dropping the gloves. Claude perfected the art of the turtle, Messier has protection with and without stripes on their shirts. Just because a guy doesn't throw down doesn't make him any more dirty than a guy who does. It makes him prettier.
[Samuelsson was known as a low hitter, most of which were legal hip-checks. Players didn't like it, but it was legal. The reason he wasn't the dirtiest ever, is he was always attacking the puck carrier. He was using the body in the course of the play.]
Correct. Hip checks are legal, legitimate, and (should be) expected by good hockey players.
The most important test of whether a hockey hit is right or wrong is if it's done to a player who has possession of the puck.